Pride & Prejudice

Pr ide and Prejudice
Jane Austen

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Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 1
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man
in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.However little known the feelings or views of such a
man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this
truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding
families, that he is considered the rightful property of some
one or other of their daughters.
‘My dear Mr. Bennet,’ said his lady to him one day,
‘have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?’
Mr. Bennet replied that he hadnot.
‘But it is,’ returned she; ‘for Mrs. Long has just been
here, and she told me all about it.’
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
‘Do you not want to know who has taken it?’ cried his
wife impatiently.
‘YOU want to tell me, and I have no objection to
hearing it.’
This was invitation enough.
‘Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that
Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortunefrom
the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a
chaise and four to see the place, and was so much
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Pride and Prejudice

delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris
immediately; that he is to take possession before
Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the
houseby the end of next week.’
‘What is his name?’
‘Bingley.’
‘Is he married or single?’
‘Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large
fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for
our girls!’
‘How so? How can it affect them?’
‘My dear Mr. Bennet,’ replied his wife, ‘how can you
be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his
marrying one of them.’
‘Is thathis design in settling here?’
‘Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very
likely that he MAY fall in love with one of them, and
therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.’
‘I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or
you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be
still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr.
Bingley may like you the bestof the party.’
‘My dear, you flatter me. I certainly HAVE had my
share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything
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extraordinary now. When a woman has five grown-up
daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own
beauty.’
‘In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to
think of.’
‘But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley
whenhe comes into the neighbourhood.’
‘It is more than I engage for, I assure you.’
‘But consider your daughters. Only think what an
establishment it would be for one of them. Sir William
and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that
account, for in general, you know, they visit no
newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible
for US to visit him if you do not.’
‘You areover-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr.
Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few
lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his
marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must
throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.’
‘I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit
better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so
handsome as Jane, nor half sogood-humoured as Lydia.
But you are always giving HER the preference.’

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‘They have none of them much to recommend them,’
replied he; ‘they are all silly and ignorant like other girls;
but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her
sisters.’
‘Mr. Bennet, how CAN you abuse your own children
in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have
no...